follow up- Warsaw to Krakow train chancing it wi/o reservations

Just buy your ticket when you arrive. There is no discount for buying in advance. The trains are pretty frequent so it is unlikely that you will not be able to get a seat. Are you going to get a chance to see Warsaw on your trip? I found Warsaw to be a pleasant surprise and a lot of the hotels have bargain rates on the weekend. You could always consider staying in Warsaw at a hotel near the train station your first night and heading to Krakow in the morning.

I just returned from Poland - including Krakow and Warsaw - and I would recommend Warsaw as well if you have time. 85% of Warsaw was destroyed during WWII, so it is much different than Krakow. Parts of the city are very modern. The Old City and Royal Palace and Royal Route were all rebuilt and felt "authentic." I stayed directly across the street from the train station at the Marriott - about $80/night on Orbitz (for one person) including breakfast and all taxes - fully refundable (two of the three nights were weekend nights, which accounts for the bargain rate). You can't get any closer to the train station, and $80/nt at a five-star hotel was a very attractive rate.

Ralph, it sounds like you didn't get more than a few blocks from the train station. That big "clock tower" was probably the Palace of Culture put up by Stalin. I was expecting Warsaw to be a bit dreary, but thought it was great. The fact that the city was destroyed in WW2 makes its current state all the more remarkable. The Old Town was meticulously rebuilt from pre-war photographs ... it may not be authentic, but who cares ... It was delightful. Lazienski Park has lovely green space. The Warsaw Uprising museum has great information on the very valiant attempt by Warsaw citizens to save their town. I also got a bargain weekend rate at the very luxurious Warsaw Intercontinental.

Thanks for the tips. We plan to get a train ticket as soon as we arrive, as we have hotel reservations in Krakow. It is possible that we might have a wait for the train, and so can explore some of Warsaw then. Also, at the end of our trip, we arrive back in Warsaw in the early morning, with the flight back to the US not until noon. So a bit of time then as well.

Sheila, a word of caution about your early-in-the morning arrival in Warsaw: be sure to take into account travel time to/from the airport and the security lines. You may only have a spare hour or so.